Finland's foreign minister urges Western leaders to cease communication with Putin

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen has called on Western leaders to stop making phone calls to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that such efforts will not yield results even if coordinated.

During an appearance on the German television channel ARD, Valtonen emphasized that competing for Moscow's attention is futile.

"The most important thing is to understand that we should not compete for the Kremlin's attention. It will make no sense if the leaders of European countries make coordinated or uncoordinated calls to Putin," Valtonen said.

She stressed that the West must act together, but crucially in coordination with Ukraine, not just with the United States.

On November 15, the German government reported that Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Putin held their first phone call since December 2022. Scholz condemned the war and urged Putin to withdraw troops and engage in negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the call, describing it as a "Pandora's box" and stating that it plays into Putin's desire to ease his and Russia's isolation.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has no plans to speak with Putin.